incubate

American  

[in-kyuh-beyt, ing-] / ˈɪn kyəˌbeɪt, ˈɪŋ- /

verb (used with object)

incubated, incubating

1. to sit upon (eggs) for the purpose of hatching.

2. to hatch (eggs), as by sitting upon them or by artificial heat.

3. to maintain at a favorable temperature and in other conditions promoting development, as cultures of bacteria or prematurely born infants.

4. to develop or produce as if by hatching; give form to.

   His brain was incubating schemes for raising money.

---

verb (used without object)

incubated, incubating

1. to sit upon eggs.

2. to undergo incubation.

3. to develop; grow; take form.

   A plan was slowly incubating in her mind.

incubate British  

/ ˈɪnkjʊˌbeɪt /

verb

1. (of birds) to supply (eggs) with heat for their development, esp by sitting on them

2. to cause (eggs, embryos, bacteria, etc) to develop, esp in an incubator or culture medium

3. (intr) (of eggs, embryos, bacteria, etc) to develop in favourable conditions, esp in an incubator

4. (intr) (of disease germs) to remain inactive in an animal or human before causing disease

5. to develop or cause to develop gradually; foment or be fomented

---

Other Word Forms

• incubation noun
• incubational adjective
• incubative adjective
• unincubated adjective

Etymology

Origin of incubate

First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin incubātus, past participle of incubāre “to lie or recline on, to sit on (eggs),” equivalent to in- “in” + cub(āre) “to sit, lie down” + -ātus past participle suffix; in- ², -ate ¹. incumbent, concubine

Example Sentences

And he shows how Music Inn incubated a “Third Stream” hybrid of jazz and classical music through the work of the composer Gunther Schuller and others at the Lenox School of Jazz.

From The Wall Street Journal

Yet the festival, the labs and the institute have remained a constant through it all, continuing to incubate fresh talent to launch to the industry.

From Los Angeles Times

"We do generally think that both males and females take care of incubating the egg, and they also take care of feeding the chick."

From Salon

Each parent takes turns incubating the eggs over a monthlong period, according to the beaches department.

From Los Angeles Times

As for the couple, Steers said Jackie and Shadow are incubating and taking care of the eggs.

From Los Angeles Times